Marking machine



May 31,1927. ,060

F. A. PUTNAM MARKING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1926 2 $h0 e ts$heet 1Invenror. Fred A. Puinorn M.MKW

An a.

May 31,1927. ,6 0

F. A. PUTNAM f MARKING MACHINE Filed May 22. 1926 2, Sheots-$heet Fig.3.

Inventor. Fred A. Fuinom /tw MkW Patented May 3 1, 1%27.

FRED A. PUTNAM, OE KEENE,

NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNCR TO MARKEM MACHINE MARKING MACHINE.

Application filed May 22,.

This invention relates to improvements in marking machines and theprincipal object thereof is to provide a machine adapted to marksuccessively a series of superimposed articles beginning at thelowermost.

A further object of the'invention is to provide a machine of thecharacter above described withmeans for clamping the superimposedarticles upon the work support with means for permitting thesuccessively marked articlesto be moved from the work support or'platenupon which the articles are marked.

A further objectof the invention is to provide a novel clampingmechanism which will clamp anyedesired number of articles upon the worksupport.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism forsupporting the printing head which will permit the printing head to bemoved from inking position to printing position while maintaii'iing theplane of the printing face in substantial parallelism with the plane ofthe work support. i

A further object of the invention is to provide means for normallysupporting the printing head in an elevated position in termediate ofthe hiking mechanism and printing position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel mechanism. forlocking the type in the printing head in such a manner that theindividual type can be removed without the necessity of removing thetype hold-er from the printinghead.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following description of the accompanying drawing and will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machineparticularly designed for marking gloves or other flexible articles;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the machine viewed from the right towardthe left;

F 3 is a detail plan view of the work support illustrating particularlythe aperture through which the articles are successively depressed asthey are marked;

Fig. l is a sectional diagrammatic view illustrating the number ofsuperimposed ar- 1926. Serial No. 111,068. I

ticles carried by the work support and the manner in which the articlesare successively depressed through the aperture in the work support asthey are printed, and

F 1g. 5 1s a vertical central sectional view through the. printing headon the line 5 5,'

Fig. 2.

The machine illustrated in the accompanylug drawing comprises a base 1upon one end of which a work support 2 is mounted or formed integraltherewith. The work support 2 extends beyond the end of the base 1 toprovide a spaceto permit the provided with a printing platen .3 ofrelatively soft material which will not injure the type. The worksupport is provided with an aperture 4 of suflicient area to per- 'mitthe portions of flexible articles which have been'printed upon theplaten to be depressed therethrough and is provided with a suilicicntlylarge surface 5 beyond the aperture to enable a series of superimposedflexible articlesfiysuch as gloves, shoe uppers and the like, to beclamped thereupon.

Suitable means are provided for clamping I the superimposed articlesupon the work support. The preferred means illustrated herein comprisesa flat plate 7 having at its ends upturned ears 8 which are pivotallymounted upon a rod 9, the ends of which are secured to like parallellinks 10 which are pivotally mounted at their lower ends upon bosses 11extending upwardly from the end portions olthe work support.

Suitable means are provided for locking the clamping plate .7 inclamping engagement with the articles 6. In the construction illustratedherein a pair or" pawls 12 are p ivotally iounted upon the rod 9 and areprovided with upwardly extending arms 13 which desirably are connectedby a handle member in the form of a rod 14 so that both pawls may beactuated sin'mltaneously. The

pawls 12 engage the teeth of like arcuate ratchets 15 which are mountedupon the work support and as shown herein are pivotally supported uponsuitable lugs extendingupwardly therefrom. r'irms 16 extending from theratchets engage posts 17 projecting up\ "ardlv lromthe work support andserve to hold the ratchets in proper position.

gagement with the pile.

Springs 18 connected at their upper ends to the arms 18 of the dogs andat their lower ends to the parallel links 10 hold the pawls normally inengagement with the ratchets. By reason of this construction theclamping plate 7 can be readily raised to permit the insertion ofarticles to be. marked by grasping the handle member f and swinging thesame to the left to disengage the pawls from the ratchets, then raisingthe pawls to the upper portion of the ratchet to provide a space betweenthe clamping member and the work support, the articles having beeninserted beneath the clamping plate, are advanced until their ends restupon the platen 3. The clamping plate will then be forced downward intoclamping engagement with the articles and will be locked in clampingposition by the engagement of thepawls 12 with the teeth of the ratchets15. All of the flexible articles to be marked will then be bent upwardlyexcept the lowermost article which is permitted to I rest upon aplaten.-

Any suitable means for printing the proper mark upon the article may beused, after which the marked article is depressed throughthe aperture 4;and the next lowermost article from the bottom of the superimposedseries dropped upon the platen in marking position. This procedure maybe continued until the entire pile of superimposed articles'is marked,after which the clamping plate may be removed by disengaging the pawlsin the manner aforesaid and raising the clamping plate from en- In thusmarking the articles any suitable printing mechanism maybe employed.Preferably, however, a printing deviceis provided which is movablysecured to the frame in such manner that it can be swung intoco-operative printing relation with the platen and removed from suchrelation to permit the application of ink to the type.

In the preferred construction illustrated in the accompanying drawingthe printing mechanism comprises a printing head which is so mountedthat it may be swung to and from printing position and in its swingingmovement maintained with its printing face in substantial parallelismwith the plane of the'work support. The preferred form of printing headshown in the accompanying drawing comprises a U-shaped body 19 havingdownwardly extending parallel arms 20 at-their lower ends which carry asuitable type-holding member. The printing head 19 is pivotallyconnected to a pair of parallel links 21, 22 which are pivotallyconnected at their opposite ends to the ends of parallel rock shafts 23,24 respectively, which are journalled in bosses 25, 26 ex tending from asuitable standard 27 mounted upon the base 1. In order to ensureaccuracy of movementof the head the rock shafts 23, 2 1 have rigidlysecured to theni other parallel links 28, 29 which are connectedtogether by a link 30.

The base 1 is provided, at the end opposite the work support, with anextension 31 and. a disk32 having an inking pador pads 33 is rotatablymounted upon the stud 34 upon an extension. The inking pad is, ofcourse, so positioned as to be beneath the type face of the printinghead when the latter is swung to one side of the standard, asillustrated in Fig. 1.

The printing head is provided with a handle 35. Desirable means areprovided normally to support the printmg head in an intermediate ositionout of en 'a ement with the platen and the inking pad. This preferablyis accomplished by supporting the printing headupon a spring 36 which isconnected at its lower end to a link 21 and at its upper end to thelateral extension 37 of a rod or post 38 which is detach-ably seated inthe bosses which extend from the standard 27 and support the rock shafts23 and 24.

In the operation of the machine the articles to be marked are placedupon the work support and clamped in the manner above described and allthe articles are turned backwardly except the lowermost in such a manneras to leave the lowermost article lying upon the platen 3. The'print-CID ing head is then passed into engagement with f the inking pad, thenraised and carried by the links over the vertical plane of the rockshafts and then depressed into printing engagement with the article uponthe platen.

The printed article is then depressed through V the aperture 4 and thenext article of the superimposed series permitted to drop upon theplaten and the printing head pressed thereupon to mark it. Thisprocedure is continued until all the articles of the pile. have I beenmarked. When it is found necessary to replenish the ink upon the typeduring this marking operation the head is swung again over the plane ofthe centers of the rock shafts and the printing face brought intoengagement with the pad in the manner aforesaid. lVhen the printing isnot being done the head 1s retained in an intermediate elevated positionby the lifting spring 36 provided with a slot orv a 41 of the lower endof the printing head. The opposite side 42 of the plate is similarlybevelled. and is engaged by a complementary bevelled end of a dog 43which is pivotally mounted upon the stud 44 extending from a lateralposition 45 on the printing head. The stud 44 is provided with a handle46 by means of which it may be pivotally moved and the handle is pressedoutwardly. by a spring 47 so that the bevelled end normally engages thebevelled face of the type-holding member. The type-holding member isplurality of slots to receive the type.

The type are made of a width to fit within the slots and are providedwith shouldered heads to rest upon the upper surface of the type-holdingplate 39. The locking member, preferably in the form of,a plate 48,engages the upper ends of the type and holds them firmly in printingposition and also acts as a backing member to receive the pressure whichis imposed upon the type. The backing or looking plate 48 is pivotallymounted on a shaft 49 which is mounted in the arms 20 of the printinghead and a suitable stop 50 extending from One of the arms 20 serves tolimit the swinging movement of the plate 48 when it is in position toengage the type heads. A helical spring 51, which is secured at itslower end to the swinging locking plate 48 and at its upper end to aneye 5:2 upon the yoke of the head, serves to retain the locking plate 48in engagement with the stop 50. The width of thelockin member 48desirably is sufiicient to ena le its lowei edge to swing intosubstantial tangential relation to the upper ends of the type heads.

Deslrably an arm 53 extends laterally from the locking plate 48 andprovides a convenient handle by which the locking plate 48 may be swungout of locking position against the action of the spring 51.

In order to introduce or to replace the type it is merely necessary topress downwardly upon the arm 53 thereby swinging the locking plate 48out of locking position. The type can then be inserted into the slots inthe type-holding member or if type are carried in the type-holdingmember they may be removed by merely raising them up and new typesubstituted. Thus a great sav ing in time which is required for changingthe type is saved.

' if it is desired to remove the type holder and type it is merelynecessary to press upon the arm 46 of the dog 43 sufficient to relievethe lower end thereof from engagement with the t pe-holding platewhereuponthe latter will rop out of the lower end of the head and can bereadily replaced.

The arms 20 of the printing head may, if desired, be also provided withaligned apertured bosses 54 to receive the journals of a suitable typewheel which may carry several SQl'iGS of different insignia which are tobe stamped upon different articles.

The present invention in'so far as it re lates to the mechanism forlocking the type and type holder is a specific embodiment of the broaderinvention disclosedin my prior application Serial No. 723,974, filedJuly 3,

By reason of the present invention a simple and relatively inexpensivemachine is" .1

provided for marking articles in which a pile of superimposed articlesof like size can be readily marked and in which the type required formarking difi'erent articles can be rapidly assembled and replaced. Asthe printing head is normally supported out of. engagement with theplaten or with the inking device the type extending downwardly is notlikely to collect dust, and will not ac-v cumuiate an excessive amountof ink, as would be the case if thetype normally rested upon the inkingpad. The machine as a whole comprises a convenient mechanism which isadapted to save considerable time printing claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. 'A marking machine comprising a platen and a work support providingan aperture in proximity to said platen in sufiicient area to permit theportion of alfiexiblearticle which has been printed upon said platen tobe depressed therethrough, whereby a series of superimposed flexiblearticles may be vsuccessively printed from the lowermost upwardly.

lOU

A marking machine comprising a platen and a work supportproviding anaperture in proximity to said platen in suf-i ficient area to permit theportion of a flexible article which has been printed upon saidv platento be depressed therethrough, whereby a series of superimposed flexiblearticles may be successively printed from the lowermost upwardly, andmeans for clamping the series of superimposed articles upon said worksupport.

3.14 iii-arking machine comprising a platen and a work support providingan aperture in proximity to said platen in sufiicient area to permit theportion of afiexible article which has been. printed upon said platen tobe depressed tlieietlirough,

whereby a series of superimposed flexible ar ticles may be successivelyprinted from the lowermost upwardly, and a clamp comprisoperating withsaid work support to clamp a series of superimposed flexible articlestherebetween, and means l'or locking said work-clamping member inwork-clamp1ng position.

5. A marking machine comprising a platen and a work support providing anaperture in proximity to said'platen to permit the portion of a flexiblearticle which has been printed upon such platen to be depressedtherethrough, a clampii'ig member pivotally mounted upon parallel linkscooperating with said work support to clamp a series of superimposedflexible articles therebetween, and pawl and ratchet mechanisms locatedat opposite ends of said clamping member operable to lock said clampingmember in differentclamping positions.

6. A marking machine platen and a work support providing an aperture inproximity to said platen to permit the portion of a flexible articlewhich has been printed upon such platen to be depressed therethrough, apair of links pivotally mounted at the ends of said work supports, a rodconnecting said links, a clamping member pivotally mounted on said rod,pawls pivotally mounted on said rod,

and arcuate ratchets mounted. upon thework support co-operating withrespective pawls to lock the clamping member in 'adjusted positions.

7. A marking machine comprising a platen and a work support providing anaperture in proximity to said platen to permit the portion of a flexiblearticle which has been printed upon such platen to "be depressedtherethrough, a pair of links pivotally mounted at the ends of said worksup port, a rod connecting said links, a clamping member pivotallymounted on said rod, spring-actuated pawls pivotally mounted on saidrod, a handle member connecting said pawls to operate themsimultaneously, and an arcuate ratchet mounted on said base cooperatingwith the respective pawls.

8. A marking machine comprising a platen and a work support providing anaperture in proximity to said platen in sufficient area to permit theportion of the flexible article which has been printed to be depressedtherethrough, a standard mounted upon said work support, a printinghead, and means for supporting said head to percomprising armsconnecting said shafts to said printing A head to permit said'headtoswing to opposite sides of said standards, and means "for applying inkto the type carried by the printing head.

l0.- A marking machine comprising a platen and a work support providingan aperture in proximity to said platen in suflicient area to permittheportion or the flexible article which has been printed to be de pressedtherethrough, a standard mounted on said work support, an inking padlocated at the other side of said standard from said platen, parallelrock shafts mounted in said standard having parallel arms pivotallyconnected to said printing head operable to per mit the printing head tobe swung selectively intoco-operative relation to said platen and saidinking pad.

11. A marking machine comprising a platen and a work support providingan aperture in proximity to said platen in sufficient area to permit theportion of the flexible article which has been printed to be depressedtherethrough, a standard mounted on said work support, an inking padlocated at the other side of said standard' irom said platen, parallelrock shafts mounted in said standard having parallel arms pivotallyconnected to said printing head operable to permit the printing head tobe swung selectively into co-operative relation to said platen and saidinking pad, and other par allel arms extending from said rock shafts andconnected by a link to ensure accurate movement of said printing head.

12. A marking machine comprising a platen and a work support providingan aperture in proximity to said platen in sufflcient area to permit theportion of the flexihis article which has been printed to be depressedtherethrough a standard mounted on said work support, an inking padlocated at the other side of said standard from said platen, parallel,rock shafts mounted in said standard having parallel arms pivotallyconnected to said printing head operable to permit the printing head tobe swung lectively into cooperative relation to said platen and saidinking pad, and means con- Work support and an inking pad, a printinghead, means for supporting said printing head to permit it to swing fromsaid inking pad to said platen While maintaining the printing face ofsaid head in substantial parallelism with the plane of said Worksupport, type-holding means in'said head so constructed as to permitthetype to be removed from the upper side of said typeholding means, anda depending locking device pivotally mounted upon an axis located abovethe type and normally engaging the upper end of the type.

14:. A marking machine comprising a Work support and an inking pad, aprint-- ing head, means for supporting said print-- ing head to permitit to swing from said inking pad to said platen While maintaining theprinting face of said head in substantial parallelism With the plane ofsaid WOI'k support, type-holding means in said head so constructed as topermit the type to be removed from the upper side of saidtypeliolding'means, a depending locking device a pivotally mounted uponan axis located above the type, and normally engaging the upper end ofthe type, and means including a spring acting normally to hold saidlocking device in looking position.

15. A' marking machine comprising I a Work support and an inking pad, aprinting head having an inverted U-shaped body portion presentingdownwardly extending arms, a type holder, mounted inthe lower ends ofsaid arms so constructed asto permit the type to'be removed from theupperjside thereof, a depending locking device piv- V,

otally mounted in said arms to swing about an axis lying insubstantially a longitudinal axial plane of the type and adapted to beswung with itslower edge into tangentialengagement With the upper end ofthe type. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name tothis-specification. i

FRED A. P TNAM, n s.]

